Well, Wolf 3 is back in New Orleans. We are really happy with our project and housing, so things are looking good for us. We are working with Habitat for Humanity, building and finishing houses. This past week we were working all over the city. The first couple of days we were at the West Bank. Yes, the same West Bank where we lived first round. The irony of this job never fails me. We have been finishing two houses that are next door to each other that have been built form the ground up. We painted mostly... we painted a lot; ceilings, walls, corners all of it.
Thursday was Meaghan's birthday. We went out to sushi and then our plan was to go to Ms. Mae's, a dive on Magazine that has very cheap drinks. We got to the bar, but only stayed for 15 minutes tops. Everyone was just so tired after working all week. But, we went out last night to really celebrate. We visited all of our old haunts on Frenchmen Street and had a great time listening to live music.
All for now.
In Peace. Steph
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Alabama (plz insert Forest Gump reference here)
Well it has been an interesting couple of weeks here in Alabama. Work at the food pantry has been a little monotonous, but we know all the food is getting to people who need it, so no complaints here!
The past 2 weeks we were moved from packing boxes to the reclamation room. The Bay Area Food Bank gets unused food donations from Wal- Mart, Winn Dixie, food drives, etc and it has to be checked, cleaned and sorted. Basically, our job was to take the donation boxes off pallets, sort through the contents, wipe it down with bleach water, then sort it into a category box (fruit, soup, veggies etc), then put it onto a new pallet which will be put into the warehouse, all the people form non profits shop from.
But, we have been able to get out of the sorting room for a couple of days. We have been able to go on some mobile food pantries around the Gulf. Today we went to Border Line, MS to distribute food. It is in the cooouuntrryyy. We got lost for 45 minutes trying to find the social hall we were working at. However, that seemed to be our only glitch in the day. The food distribution went very well. We gave out about 5,000 lbs of food today. On Friday, we distributed 16,000 lbs of food at the Hemly Street Church of Christ, where we are staying. We started giving out the food around 9 and there were already people at the front door of the church by 6:30 am. 16,000 lbs of food was gone in 3 1/2 hours. It was very gratifying to help the community we have been staying in for the past 3 weeks.
Yesterday we found out we are going BACK TO NEW ORLEANS FOR 4TH ROUND!!!!!! Everyone is very happy. We will be working for Habitat for Humanity, rebuilding homes. We don't have any other details, but with great news like that, I think we can run on those fumes for awhile.
All for now.
In peace, Stephanie
The past 2 weeks we were moved from packing boxes to the reclamation room. The Bay Area Food Bank gets unused food donations from Wal- Mart, Winn Dixie, food drives, etc and it has to be checked, cleaned and sorted. Basically, our job was to take the donation boxes off pallets, sort through the contents, wipe it down with bleach water, then sort it into a category box (fruit, soup, veggies etc), then put it onto a new pallet which will be put into the warehouse, all the people form non profits shop from.
But, we have been able to get out of the sorting room for a couple of days. We have been able to go on some mobile food pantries around the Gulf. Today we went to Border Line, MS to distribute food. It is in the cooouuntrryyy. We got lost for 45 minutes trying to find the social hall we were working at. However, that seemed to be our only glitch in the day. The food distribution went very well. We gave out about 5,000 lbs of food today. On Friday, we distributed 16,000 lbs of food at the Hemly Street Church of Christ, where we are staying. We started giving out the food around 9 and there were already people at the front door of the church by 6:30 am. 16,000 lbs of food was gone in 3 1/2 hours. It was very gratifying to help the community we have been staying in for the past 3 weeks.
Yesterday we found out we are going BACK TO NEW ORLEANS FOR 4TH ROUND!!!!!! Everyone is very happy. We will be working for Habitat for Humanity, rebuilding homes. We don't have any other details, but with great news like that, I think we can run on those fumes for awhile.
All for now.
In peace, Stephanie
Monday, August 9, 2010
LA to MD to VT to MD (again) to AL
Yes, life in AmeriCorps is a whirl wind of action. Ive been so busy/ distracted/ unable to access the internet that I have written in a very very long time. So here is a abbreviated version of my adventures.
New Orleans: I worked at Hope Haven (the volunteer housing) for the majority of the time I was in New Orleans (much to my disappointment and frustration) But hey, that's the way to cookie crumbled. I got to work on a house in East Orleans, did some major insulation and dry wall there and a house in the lower 9th ward, finishing up the outside trim painting. NOLA is a very hard city to leave. In one word, it is beautiful. The people, the hope, the culture, the parties, the work, the pride... it is all beautiful.
Maryland: Transition 2 pt. 1. I was only in Maryland for a couple of days before summer break, but it was very fun to see everyone back at "The Point".
Michigan: Summer break was great. (Shout out to mom and dad and sister) I finally had some time to relax and enjoy family and friends.
Maryland: Transition 2 pt. 2. Also very fun to see everyone again.
Vermont: OK so here's the story with Vermont. Its a beautiful state, the mountains are very green, they love that. Its also where President Calvin Coolidge hails from. Wolf 3 was assigned to the task of assisting the President Calvin Coolidge National Historic Site in their day to day landscaping tasks as well as to help move their artifacts collection. O my gosh! A history project!??? Right up Stephanie's alley, she must be so happy! Well, don't get too excited there missy, because you will be camping...in tents... for the whole round, 6 weeks. Exsqueese me? Yes. So the camping, wasn't that bad. Although it did rain for as much time as it didn't. And I think our project might have over estimated/ over sold what we as a team would be doing there. Again, like in Delaware, we were used as landscapers, cutting back trees and brush that grew over a stone wall at the edge of the property. However, while in Plymouth Notch, I did get the opportunity to work with the museum's collections manager. I had a chance to help catalog some of their agriculture collection and learned how to use a museum database called Past Perfect. But, those 2 days aside, Vermont was nor good to W3. 2 of our team mates switched to another team, we weeded gravel and asked ourselves, what the hell? But, we didn't have to stay for long. A disaster opportunity in Alabama came up, and our name was on the top of the list, because they knew about our situation at HQ. After 2 weeks we left Vermont and Calvin Coolidge.
Maryland: Meetings. We were in a lot of meetings in Maryland. We had to tell Chris our unit leader what was up. And for the second time, he had to apologize to us. We also had a meeting with the programs department and asked, was this project necessary? Zack told them, "We are in the worst financial crisis since the great depression, we just had one of the worst environmental catastrophe's...ever, and you sent us up to Vermont to paint white fences whiter and to move a artifacts collection from storage to another storage area and it won't even be seen by the public... this was one of the top 21 projects that you could choose from for us?" They told us, well it looked better on paper, and we asked all the appropriate questions. I teared up in both of those meetings because of the immense frustrations I had been having with the program. I did't sign up to serve my country in NCCC to be a landscaper, to weed gravel, even to catalog artifacts. I joined NCCC to make human connections, to touch people's lives, to build and plant and spread joy. Not to be bitter about where I'm living or be so consumed by my frustrations and disappointments, that I broke down and sobbed in my unit leaders office and told him Wolf 3 was the red - headed step child of the corps. (yes I really did that)
Alabama: Sweet home Alabama, after our meeting with the program department, we left for Bayou la Batre, Alabama (they filmed a lot of Forrest Gump here)We are working at The Bay Area food pantry sorting and packing food for families that have been effected by the oil spill. last week, we worked on an assembly line, packing 35 lb boxes of food that will be distributed all over the Gulf. I was in charge of putting the grits, dry beans, rice, and cereal in the box. This week we are working in the reclamation room, sorting donated food.
We are living at a Church of Christ. It is one of the smallest churches I have ever seen, but Miss Daphne, the woman who runs everything here, basically feeds and clothes the whole town with all the programs she runs out of here.
We are about 20 minutes away from Dauphin Island and have been informed the water is safe to swim in. The water is about 80 to 85 degrees, sometimes its not even refreshing. But we went the first night here and have been back almost everyday since.
More news soon... I promise. I actually have internet!
In Peace, Stepahnie
New Orleans: I worked at Hope Haven (the volunteer housing) for the majority of the time I was in New Orleans (much to my disappointment and frustration) But hey, that's the way to cookie crumbled. I got to work on a house in East Orleans, did some major insulation and dry wall there and a house in the lower 9th ward, finishing up the outside trim painting. NOLA is a very hard city to leave. In one word, it is beautiful. The people, the hope, the culture, the parties, the work, the pride... it is all beautiful.
Maryland: Transition 2 pt. 1. I was only in Maryland for a couple of days before summer break, but it was very fun to see everyone back at "The Point".
Michigan: Summer break was great. (Shout out to mom and dad and sister) I finally had some time to relax and enjoy family and friends.
Maryland: Transition 2 pt. 2. Also very fun to see everyone again.
Vermont: OK so here's the story with Vermont. Its a beautiful state, the mountains are very green, they love that. Its also where President Calvin Coolidge hails from. Wolf 3 was assigned to the task of assisting the President Calvin Coolidge National Historic Site in their day to day landscaping tasks as well as to help move their artifacts collection. O my gosh! A history project!??? Right up Stephanie's alley, she must be so happy! Well, don't get too excited there missy, because you will be camping...in tents... for the whole round, 6 weeks. Exsqueese me? Yes. So the camping, wasn't that bad. Although it did rain for as much time as it didn't. And I think our project might have over estimated/ over sold what we as a team would be doing there. Again, like in Delaware, we were used as landscapers, cutting back trees and brush that grew over a stone wall at the edge of the property. However, while in Plymouth Notch, I did get the opportunity to work with the museum's collections manager. I had a chance to help catalog some of their agriculture collection and learned how to use a museum database called Past Perfect. But, those 2 days aside, Vermont was nor good to W3. 2 of our team mates switched to another team, we weeded gravel and asked ourselves, what the hell? But, we didn't have to stay for long. A disaster opportunity in Alabama came up, and our name was on the top of the list, because they knew about our situation at HQ. After 2 weeks we left Vermont and Calvin Coolidge.
Maryland: Meetings. We were in a lot of meetings in Maryland. We had to tell Chris our unit leader what was up. And for the second time, he had to apologize to us. We also had a meeting with the programs department and asked, was this project necessary? Zack told them, "We are in the worst financial crisis since the great depression, we just had one of the worst environmental catastrophe's...ever, and you sent us up to Vermont to paint white fences whiter and to move a artifacts collection from storage to another storage area and it won't even be seen by the public... this was one of the top 21 projects that you could choose from for us?" They told us, well it looked better on paper, and we asked all the appropriate questions. I teared up in both of those meetings because of the immense frustrations I had been having with the program. I did't sign up to serve my country in NCCC to be a landscaper, to weed gravel, even to catalog artifacts. I joined NCCC to make human connections, to touch people's lives, to build and plant and spread joy. Not to be bitter about where I'm living or be so consumed by my frustrations and disappointments, that I broke down and sobbed in my unit leaders office and told him Wolf 3 was the red - headed step child of the corps. (yes I really did that)
Alabama: Sweet home Alabama, after our meeting with the program department, we left for Bayou la Batre, Alabama (they filmed a lot of Forrest Gump here)We are working at The Bay Area food pantry sorting and packing food for families that have been effected by the oil spill. last week, we worked on an assembly line, packing 35 lb boxes of food that will be distributed all over the Gulf. I was in charge of putting the grits, dry beans, rice, and cereal in the box. This week we are working in the reclamation room, sorting donated food.
We are living at a Church of Christ. It is one of the smallest churches I have ever seen, but Miss Daphne, the woman who runs everything here, basically feeds and clothes the whole town with all the programs she runs out of here.
We are about 20 minutes away from Dauphin Island and have been informed the water is safe to swim in. The water is about 80 to 85 degrees, sometimes its not even refreshing. But we went the first night here and have been back almost everyday since.
More news soon... I promise. I actually have internet!
In Peace, Stepahnie
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
New Orleans!!!
Again, so sorry for not posting lately. It has been a very busy first week in New Orleans. We are working for a Catholic Charities organization called Operation Helping Hands. Originally we were supposed to have a split round and also work at Camp Hope. However, Camp Hope fell through and we will spend the whole round working for OHH. We are living in Marrero, LA which is across the Mississippi from New Orleans. It is about a 20 minute drive to downtown from where we live…in a mansion! Ok, well it’s not a mansion, but there are only 7 of us (Sara, Rene, and John are on disaster and Caleb is on fire composite) and we live in a Spanish mission style cottage. It is 50x times better then tripping over each other in that little dorm hallway in Dover, DE. I even have my own room, and the kitchen is large enough the whole team can stand in it at once!
I am also working in Marrero. Right across the street from where we live actually. Matt and I along with another long term volunteer from Regis University have been working on rehabbing an old convalescent home for wards of the state, into volunteer housing. It has been slow going. But last week we had a group of short term volunteers for a couple of days, and they were able to do so much work, I almost cried. There is still a lot to do, and I’m not going to lie, it is frustrating to be working on volunteer housing, when the rest of my team is working in the Upper and Lower 9th Ward. However, I know volunteer housing is very important down here. We are painting 7 dorm style rooms, along with the trim and the doors. The trim and the doors are different colors in different rooms, so that part has been fun painting in bright yellow, blue, red, and pink. We are also installing laminate flooring, the kind that fit together. We have three rooms floored. All of the walls painted minus two rooms. All of the trim is painted minus one room…however we have to scrape off all of the paint on the doors that we have painted. At the end of the week, we found out, the doors should have been sanded, primed, and then painted because of the latex paint we are using. 2 doors per room = a lot of doors. I had a very frustrating day today because I only scraped a doors that we had already done.
As far as city life goes, I LOVE NEW ORLEANS! Part of the reason why I haven’t posted in so long is because I feel like I am always on the go and doing something. The music around the city is amazing. My team and I have tried to go to a free concert every Wednesday called Music in the Park in Lafayette Square (sponsored by the Saints of course). We have also wandered around Bourbon, Frenchman, and Magazine Streets enjoying the nightlife and atmosphere.
In Peace, Stephanie
I am also working in Marrero. Right across the street from where we live actually. Matt and I along with another long term volunteer from Regis University have been working on rehabbing an old convalescent home for wards of the state, into volunteer housing. It has been slow going. But last week we had a group of short term volunteers for a couple of days, and they were able to do so much work, I almost cried. There is still a lot to do, and I’m not going to lie, it is frustrating to be working on volunteer housing, when the rest of my team is working in the Upper and Lower 9th Ward. However, I know volunteer housing is very important down here. We are painting 7 dorm style rooms, along with the trim and the doors. The trim and the doors are different colors in different rooms, so that part has been fun painting in bright yellow, blue, red, and pink. We are also installing laminate flooring, the kind that fit together. We have three rooms floored. All of the walls painted minus two rooms. All of the trim is painted minus one room…however we have to scrape off all of the paint on the doors that we have painted. At the end of the week, we found out, the doors should have been sanded, primed, and then painted because of the latex paint we are using. 2 doors per room = a lot of doors. I had a very frustrating day today because I only scraped a doors that we had already done.
As far as city life goes, I LOVE NEW ORLEANS! Part of the reason why I haven’t posted in so long is because I feel like I am always on the go and doing something. The music around the city is amazing. My team and I have tried to go to a free concert every Wednesday called Music in the Park in Lafayette Square (sponsored by the Saints of course). We have also wandered around Bourbon, Frenchman, and Magazine Streets enjoying the nightlife and atmosphere.
In Peace, Stephanie
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Transition 1
Back in Perry Point once again. We have been here since Wednesday. It is really nice to see everyone from all the other teams in one place again. I missed a lot of people.It has been really nice outside. So at the end of the day, we all just hang out outside in our yards like we used to at the end of CTI. For instance, today was my friend Brandon's birthday. We had a bbq and invited people from other units down to the village to play some football and ultimate Frisbee.
Tomorrow we have our brief about our next project. Instead of having a split round like was originally planned. We are only going to be working with Operation Helping Hands. We leave for New Orleans on Wednesday!!!!!!!!!!!!
in peace.
Tomorrow we have our brief about our next project. Instead of having a split round like was originally planned. We are only going to be working with Operation Helping Hands. We leave for New Orleans on Wednesday!!!!!!!!!!!!
in peace.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Bye Bye Dover, Hello NEW ORLEANS!!!
My team and I are wrapping up our time in Dover. Thank goodness. We have all been struggling with cabin fever as well as the lack of work assigned to us. I am not going to sugar coat it. Dover has been tough. We dont see any other teams, we live and work in the same location, and everyone is frustrated with the work we are doing.
But we have been doing work. Yesterday, we finsished a rain garden we started to build at the beginning of the week. No one knew how to how to build one...so figuring that out was a challenge in itself. By hand we dug out the sod,the shape of the garden, and ten inches in the deepest spot. But it's done now, and is one more thing we can cross off the list.
Yes, you read the title of this post right... WOLF 3 is off to NEW ORLEANS for 2nd round. And after Dover, there could not be a better place to go. For a lot of us, New Orelans is our dream spike. We will be working with two sponsors over this round, so its called a split round (vocab). The first one is a Catholic Charities organization called Operation Hands On. They are a volunteer organization that helps volunteer groups while they are down in the Gulf. The second, is Camp Hope in St. Bernard Parish. Camp Hope is the location where volunteers stay when they are in NOLA. The location has moved a couple of times and wil be moving again. Our task is to rehab and convert an old Catholic School into the new Camp Hope. I am very excited for both of these projects. There will also be multiple AmeriCoprs teams down there as well.
I have to jet. Today we are tableing for DNERR at Dover's Spring Festival called Dover Days.
In Peace,
Stephanie
But we have been doing work. Yesterday, we finsished a rain garden we started to build at the beginning of the week. No one knew how to how to build one...so figuring that out was a challenge in itself. By hand we dug out the sod,the shape of the garden, and ten inches in the deepest spot. But it's done now, and is one more thing we can cross off the list.
Yes, you read the title of this post right... WOLF 3 is off to NEW ORLEANS for 2nd round. And after Dover, there could not be a better place to go. For a lot of us, New Orelans is our dream spike. We will be working with two sponsors over this round, so its called a split round (vocab). The first one is a Catholic Charities organization called Operation Hands On. They are a volunteer organization that helps volunteer groups while they are down in the Gulf. The second, is Camp Hope in St. Bernard Parish. Camp Hope is the location where volunteers stay when they are in NOLA. The location has moved a couple of times and wil be moving again. Our task is to rehab and convert an old Catholic School into the new Camp Hope. I am very excited for both of these projects. There will also be multiple AmeriCoprs teams down there as well.
I have to jet. Today we are tableing for DNERR at Dover's Spring Festival called Dover Days.
In Peace,
Stephanie
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